Bank protector



March 24, '1925.

. F. MATHEws BANK PROTECTOR Filed sept. 1o. 1921 3 Shets-Sheet l Yllllll ll lll @www M. and: weg,

March 24. 1925.

c. F. MATHEws BANK PROTECTOR ,25 Fidgeg *Y Sheets-Sheet 2I 67201766ahews March Z4, 1925. f 1,531,121

C. F. MATHEWS l BANK PROTECTOR Filed Sept. ,10, 1921 -3 Sheets-Sheet 5 WW j W@ m Patented Mar. 24, 1925'.

y UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcl-z.

CHARLESF. MATBLEWS, F GOLDFIELD, COLORADO; J. Bf. SGHMALZBIEDADMINISTRA- TOR OF SAID CHARLES F. MATHEWS, DECEASED.

BANK PROTECTOR.

Application led September 10, 192i. Serial 499,812.

and other 4linancial institutions where it is desired to protect theclerks and officers and VV also the moneys which areihandled inrelatively large amounts.

- tics, and which may be 'tripped or actuatedA An object is to providea'grating or partition which may be used in a bank or the like, andwhich has the ordinary windows or openings through which business may betransacted between customers and clerks, and to provide such partitionor grating with protecting devices to facilitate the quick closinglofsuch windows and render the windows and the partition bullet-proof andproof against access of robbers or othersfr who endeavor to gainunauthorized access to the clerks and money.

Another object is to provide means between a plurality of such windowsfor e'ecting the complete closure of all of the windows from any one ofthe windows orfrom various other points within the enclosure so as tocompletely protect and close off the space within the partition from theouter compartment of the bank.

The invention further provides a novel means for securely locking theentrance door against opening to confine robbers or the like within the.bank rom as soon as their presence is discovered, which door securingmeans is designed-to be operated from various parts of the building orenclosure; the door operating means belng also connected for operationupon the closing of anyone or more of the window protecting shutters.

The invention further aims at the provision of a protecting-apparatus ofa character which embodies the above characterisby manually pulling on ahandle, by operation of the. foot, or by electrical means controlledfrom a switch at a distance from the seatof operationthe apparatusnecessarily showing in Figure 2.

combining these features for the protection of the individuals in andabout the en; closure, so that the least bodily movements are requiredfor tripping the mechanism.

Vith these and further objects in view as will in part hereinafterbecome apparent and in part be stated, the invention comprises certainnoveLconstructions, combinations and arrangements of arts assubsequently specified and claime In the accompanying drawings,-

Figure l is a side elevation of a partition or enclosure such as used inbanking and the like institutions constructed according to the presentinvention, the view also showin a door and lockin vmeans thereforcontrolllng the entrance an eXit of patrons and other individuals of theinstitution.

, Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, I

partly in section, of the upper portion of the partition or' enclosure,showing a window and the various mechanisms associated therewith forsupporting and releasing a protect-V- ing shutter. i 1

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken through the structure of Figure 2,substantially on the line 3--3 thereof, showing the window in openposition of use.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section Vtaken substantially on the line 4-4 ofFigure 2, and looking downwardly toward the bottom part. of the window.

Figure 5 is an inner side elevation of the lower portion of thepartition at the `bottom part ofthe window, taken reversely to theFigure 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken4 through the lowerportion of the window and adjacent parts on the linev 6-6 of Figure 4,showing the connecting means for actuating adjacent shutters upon thedropping of one of the shutters.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view, partly in elevation, of the operatingmeans interconnecting theshutters and door lock, and illustrating thevarious means for releasing the?F shutters. f

Y igure 8 is a ra mentary, pers ective view of one of the/trip devices,Shoiving a shutter cushioning means. Y

Referring to thedrawings by numerals, the general arrangement isillustrated in Figure 1, wherein the, partition or dividing wallA may beextended in a straight line, asA shown, or may loe-extended in variousangular formations, or in circular form, to provide. one or moreenclosures as 1s required in banking and like lnstitutlons where largesums of money are handled. `In

the present instance, the partition is composed of sheet metal plates10, which are of Vsuitable thickness to withstand ordinary impact ofbullets and the like to prevent penetration of the sheets 10 and thusprotect the occupants of the enclosure. The sheets 10 form a side walland are su ported upon posts 11, which are preferab y of tubularconstruction and which rise from the floor' of the building to adistance slightly above 1,5the sheets 10.

vided with an outstanding shelf 12 extending across the lower edge ofthe window and supported in position by clamps 13 which projectrearwardly through the metal wall and are bound upon a cross piece 14secured between adjacent posts 11 beneath 'the window. At each window,as shown in Figure 4, the opposed posts 11 are provided with guideblocks or channel members 15,

`which are preferably interposed between the posts 11 and the outermetal wall, and which have vertically extending grooves 16 t upon theinner faces of the guide blocks for a purpose which will hereinafterappear. The window in the metal wall may be closed by a transparentpane'17, of glass or like material, which has one or more openings ornotches 18 in its lower edge of vsufficient size to pass m'oney andsmall articles back and forth .through the window. The blocks 15 carryupon their `inner grooved faces auvertically slidable shutter 19,adapted to drop by gravity to close the window. The window opening isfurther defined by side pieces 21, which fit against the inner oppositesides of the posts 11, and which have rabbets or seats 22 thereinregistering with the inner grooved faces of the blocks 15 and into whichthe lateral ed es of the shutter 19 are adapted to vslidally engage. Thegrooves 22 form retaining shoulders for the shutter to hold the latterin correct position during its vertical slid.

ing movement, and to prevent the bursting in of the shutter incident toimpact of blows of heavy tools or the like.

`The window opening isfurther closed by an'inner transparent panel 23,of glass or the like, which is seated at the inner edge rtions of theside pieces 21 of the windowame. The panels 17 ,andV 23 provide an it isdesired to trip the latch lever 25.

enclosed space within which the shutter 19y may rise and fall forclosing the window against impact of .heavy articles, bullets, and thelike.

The partition may be provided with any suitable number of these windows,and each window has a corresponding construction and protectivemechanism. v

The shutter 19 is normally held in raised position out-of-tlre-way by alhook 24, which is formed on the short end of a latch lever 25, the latchlever being pivoted at 26 near its hook end. The hook 24 of the latchlever is forked or bifurcated at its lower end, as shown in Figure 3,and straddles thegupper end of the shutter 19, when the latter israised. The shutter is provided at opposite sides with outstanding studs27, which engage the hook 24 for normally supporting the shutter inraised position. The latch lever 25 rises above its pivotal support 26,and is connected at its u per end to van operating or trip cord 28, wich extends laterally from the lever 25 toward an adjacent post 11. Asshown in Figure 2, the cord 28 passes into an angle iron 29, carriedupon the upper end of the post 11, and over a pulley 30, which ispivoted in the angle iron 29. i The cord 28 is trained downwardly overthe pulley to a point near the floor where the cord is connected to atreadle 31 which extends transversely beneath .the window and which isadapted to be engaged by the foot of an operator wen he treadle 31 isivoted at one end'to a bracket 32, fixed to t e floor near one post 11,and the treadle extends along the partition and across the opposite postand projects through a slot 33 formed in the lower end of a tube 34.`The tube 34 constitutes a housing in which a drop weight 35 is mounted.The weight 35 is normally held in the to of the ltube by a latch'bolt 36forming t e end of a core of a solenoid 37, which ma be energized byclosing a circuit through t e wires 38. The wires 38 may, of course,extend to any suitable point where access may readily be had for closinthe circuit. When the solenoid is energize the weight 35 is released,and the latter drops downwardly through the tube 34 onto the outer endof the treadle 31 for depressing 'the same and tripping the latch 24.

Each slide block 15 is provided, near its lower' end, with trip pins 39,which lie in the path of the shutter 19",:Vv and which are adaplted tobe struck when `the shutter reac es its lowered osition. .The pins 39are carried on U- ped slides 20 with aced arms slidable the lower endsof t e grooves 16, one armof eachslide 20 being connected to a cable 40which extends upwardl in' a groove i6 behind the metal wall an over apulley 4l in a T-coupling lllll incorporated in the post-11. The ca'ble40 is trained in the lpiping or cross braces 42 of the partition to thenext Window. The other end of each cable '40 is connected to the hook 24of the next window at a point below the pivot 26 thereof, as shown inFigure 7. When the cable 40 is drawn taut, the hook 24 is released fromthe pin 27, andthe next adjacent shutter is dropped. The cable 40 alsohas an extension 43 which may be carried across the upper portion of thewindow and over a pulley 44 and provided with a handle 45- depending ata suitable Aheight and in a suitable position for easy grasping ofindividuals behind the partition. All ofthe shutters 19 are arranged toAsuccessively draw on the cables 40and to thus eiect the successiveclosing/ of all of the windows throughout the length of the partition.

Asa means for initially opening or releasing one of the hooks 24, acable 46 is connected to the upper end of each latch lever 25, and thecable is t-rained downwardly over a pulley 47, and is suspended at oneside of each window. The lower end of the cable 46 has a handle 48 inproXim ity to the attendant, so that the handle I nay be quickly graspedand depressed for swinging the latch lever. lThe cables 40 are norinallydrawn taut or raised into position for permitting the hooks 24to latchby a spring 49, which is carried upon the end of thev partition andwhich engages the said partition at one'end and. is connected to thecable 40 at its other end, the cable 40 passing axially through thespring. llf desired, the

extensions 43 of the cables 40 may be attached directly to the latches24 to form continuations of adjacent cables 40 so 'as to provide astraight line pull on all of the latches 24 by the spring 49.

'lhe end trip pin 39, or the pin near one end of the partition, ispreferably con-l nected to a cable 50, which is carried over a pulley 51and through the upper part of the partition to a latch lever 52,which'is pivoted at 53 over a revolving or turnstile door 54. The door54 comprises the entrance to the building, .and is provided with acircular plate 55 on its upper end having closely spaced-apart notches56, and into which is adapted to drop the toothed end 57 of a shutter orlatch plate 58, which is normally suspended above the door 54. When thelast shutter 19 drops, the cable 5.0' is drawn taut, and the latch lever52 is swung upon its pivot 53 in position to r e lease the hook 59 fromthe outstanding pin 60 of the latch plate 58, permitting the latter todrop into engagement with the door 54 and to hold the do r from furtherturning.

'lhe imperforate wall 10, which comprises the bodyl of the partition,may also be pro- .with parties on the outer side of the vided atsuitable points Flbetween or at the sides of the windows with doors 61hinged at 62 and provided in the body portions of the door withrelatively narrow slots 63 ex'- tending at angles to one another asdesired, and of suilicient size to permit the projection of the muzzlesof guns or other suitable weapons through the door when closed forprotecting the bank and its attendants from robbers or the like. Thesedoors A61 may be lopened by the attendants within the enclosure toreceive packages therethrough, or to hold prolonged conversationspartition when necessary.

The posts 11 may be of any suitable height or construction, and may besupported directly upon the floor, as shown, or may be mounted in anyother suitable manner found desirable and lconvenient according toconditions met with in installation. The guide block 15 may have anydesired number of grooves therein as required for meeting various.conditions of manufacture, stability and installation.

lf desired, the slide 20 may be cushioned to absorb shock incident tothe falling of the shutter 19, and this may be accom lished in variousways, such as shown in lliigure 8, where the free arm of the slide 20 isattached to a spring 64 which is connected at its lower endv 65 to thearm and lies in the adjacent grove 16. The upper end 'of the spring 64is vsecured at 66 to the block 15 for supporting the slide 20 by thespring, and permitting yielding of the latter when the shutter descends.

1. ln a protective device for banks and the like, a partition wallhaving a plurality of windows therein, a turn-stile door controllingpassage to the venclosure of the bank, a plurality of gravity-actuateddevices associated with the windows and the turnstile for controllingclosing of said windows and holding said turn-sti1e from operation,retaining means for said gravity-actuated devices, and)connectionsbetween all of said devices adapted to operate upon thedropping of any selected device for effecting the dropping of all ofthev devices to occasion Y gravity closing of the windows and locln'ng'hooks for releasing the latter upon the dropping of any selectedshutter. Y

3. Ina protective partition for banks and the like, a wall having Windowopenings therein through which business may be transacted, a shutter foreach Window opening, supporting devices carried by the Wall above saidwindows and adapted to engage the. shutters for normally maintaining thesame raised, individual operating means for releasing said retainingmeans to permit the shutters to drop into closed position, and meansoperable upon the dropping of' the individual shutters for releasingadjacent retaining means, whereby all of said Windowsfmay be closed uponthe closing of any selected Window.

4. In a protective device for banks and the like, a door controllingpassage into and out the bank enclosure, a gravity device for lockingsaid door closed, a partition insaid enclosure having windows thereinthrough which business may be transacted, gravity devices or controllingclosing of said windows, independent releasing means for said gravitydevices adapted to normally maintain the same raised andl ada ted torelease the same for causing locking of the door and closing of the win-(lows,I and interconnections between said gravity devices'wherebyindividual actuation of one of said devices is adapted to actuate all ofsaid devices.

5. A protective partition for banks and the like comprising a Wallhaving a 1urality of Windows therein through w ich business may betransacted, a shutter slidably disposed over each window and adapted todrop by' gravity for closing the same, a hook pivotally mounted overeach window and adapted for interlocking engagement with the adjacentshutter `for malntaining the latter in raised position, pull cordsconnected to said hooks for individually releasing the same, cordsconnecting said hooks together for simultaneously operating the same torelease all of the hooks from any of said shutters, and other pull cordsconnected t'o said hooks and to adjacent Windows vfor contact with theshutters when dropped.

In testimony'whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. MATHEWS. Witnesses:

CRAs. H. CORBIN, CHARLES F. BROWN.

